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Below are press releases from November and December 2007.

For any media queries, please contact Nina Goad, 0207 391 6355, nina@bad.org.uk

To return to the main press release page, click here.

Aloe vera effective treatment for mouth ulcers, new research reveals, 17.12.07    

Dermatologists urge eczema patients not to change diet without advice, 13.12.07

Response to news story that using satin pillow cases will help fight wrinkles, 05.12.07

Foot and mouth, blue tongue… now new disease plagues UK farmers, 01.11.07

Sensitive skin, is not limited to the face, study reveals, 01.11.07

Oral lichen planus is a fairly common, chronic inflammatory disorder within the mouth, causing symptoms similar to a mouth ulcer, namely burning, stinging and pain. Persistent mouth ulcers due to lichen planus can, very rarely, give rise to cancerous changes within the ulcer, and so need to be monitored by a doctor.
Unlike lichen planus of the skin, the oral version does not always respond well to treatment when symptoms are present. However, there had previously been one reported case of successful treatment using aloe vera.

A team of dermatologists therefore conducted a study of 54 patients, half of whom were treated with a topically applied aloe vera gel while the other half received a placebo.

81 percent of patients treated with aloe vera had a good response after eight weeks of treatment, while only four percent of placebo patients had a similar response.

Where improvement did occur, it was on a significantly greater scale in those treated with aloe vera – symptoms improved by more than 50 percent in 63 percent of aloe vera patients, whereas only seven percent of the placebo patients had this level of improvement. Furthermore, seven percent of the aloe vera group had a complete clinical remission.

Burning pain completely disappeared in a third of the aloe vera patients, compared to only four percent of the placebo group. No serious side effects were found in either group, and the researchers believe that aloe vera could not only be used to treat oral lichen planus, but common mouth ulcers also.

Aloe vera is a cactus-like plant. Some cosmetic and medicinal products are made from the tissue in the centre of the leaf, which is called aloe vera gel. The plant is known to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.

According to Dr Charoen Choonhakarn, Dermatologist at Srinagarind Hospital Medical School, Khon Kaen University, Thailand, and one of the study’s authors: “Current treatments for oral lichen planus are aimed at alleviating pain and eliminating the lesions.                                                                                                                                                             

“Existing evidence demonstrates that aloe vera used in a variety of concentrations might be effective in shortening the duration of wound healing.

“We found that the effect of 70 percent aloe vera gel on the disorder was significantly better than a placebo. The results showed decreases both in clinical signs and in pain scores. Mild, adverse effects were reversible and aloe vera was generally well tolerated.
“Thus, aloe vera gel is a safe and effective treatment for oral lichen planus, and most likely mouth ulcers too.”

Nina Goad of the British Association of Dermatologists said: “Many cosmetic products contain botanical ingredients, as people like using products that are labelled ‘natural’ or containing natural plant extracts. However, often the ingredient, while harmless, is unlikely to have any impact on the skin’s health or appearance.

“However, aloe vera is an ingredient that has proven anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties. This is an interesting development for the treatment of mouth ulcers.”
The cause of oral lichen planus is still not known, but is likely to be linked to the body’s immune system.

-Ends-
Notes to editors:
1. If using this information, please ensure you mention that the study is being released in the British Journal of Dermatology, the official publication of the British Association of Dermatologists.
2. Articles in the BJD can be viewed online: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/BJD
3. Study details: ‘The efficacy of aloe vera gel in the treatment of oral lichen planus: a randomised controlled trial’, Published in British Journal of Dermatology, C. Choonhakarn, P. Busaracome, B. Sripanidkulchai* and P. Sarakarn²; Division of Dermatology, Srinagarind Hospital Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, *Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and ²Department of Biostatistics and Demography, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, Thailand.

The British Association of Dermatologists is the central association of practising UK dermatologists. Our aim is to continually improve the treatment and understanding of skin disease.
Blackwell Publishing is a leading society publisher, partnering with 665 medical, academic and professional societies. Blackwell publishes over 800 journals and has over 6,000 books in print. In February 2007, Blackwell Publishing officially merged with John Wiley & Sons, Inc's Scientific, Technical and Medical business. For more information on Blackwell Publishing, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com or www.blackwell-synergy.com.

For more information please contact:  Nina Goad, British Association of Dermatologists, Communications Manager, Phone: 0207 391 6355, Email: nina@bad.org.uk, Website: www.bad.org.uk

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Dermatologists are warning eczema patients not to make significant changes to their diet without consulting their doctor, following new research in the British Journal of Dermatology.

Dermatologists at Leicester Royal Infirmary conducted a survey of 100 patients with contact dermatitis, a common type of eczema caused by irritants or allergens, to ascertain how many had attempted to alleviate the condition by making changes to their diet.

Almost a third reported that they had tried dietary restriction, including cutting out dairy products, bread, wheat, alcohol, tomatoes and / or eggs. However, 80 percent found that such restrictions resulted in no improvement to their skin.

Furthermore, 13 percent had tried some form of dietary supplementation in an attempt to manage their symptoms, including evening primrose oil, multivitamins, cod liver oil, omega-3-oils and increased fruit consumption. Less than a quarter of those who had tried supplements felt that it made any difference to their skin.

More worryingly, a previous study by the department discovered that three-quarters of parents of children with atopic eczema – the most common type of eczema, affecting one in five children – had tried some form of dietary exclusion and 41 percent had used dietary supplements.

However, only half of parents had consulted a doctor or dietician before making changes to their child’s diet.

The results for this group were more positive, but still only 39 percent felt that dietary changes had improved their child’s eczema. Interestingly, a similar survey by the group in 1989 showed that although approximately the same number of parents (71 percent) had tried diet changes for their child’s eczema, only 10 percent deemed it beneficial. The reason for why more parents now report dietary changes as having any impact on the symptoms is unclear.

Dr Graham Johnston, Consultant Dermatologist at Leicester Royal Infirmary and one of the study’s authors said: “The majority of our patients reported that their skin failed to improve as a result of dietary manipulation. Of ongoing concern is the significant number of patients who attempt dietary manipulation without seeking appropriate expert advice.”

Nina Goad of the British Association of Dermatologists said: “Many people think that diet is an important factor in atopic eczema and in some cases this is true. However, it is also possible that some parents restrict their child's diet without any real benefit to their child's eczema and very restrictive diets could harm a child's growth.

“We don’t know how important food allergy is in atopic eczema with any certainty, because the effects of foods on the skin are complicated and difficult to assess.

“If you suspect food allergy in your child, you should really discuss this with your doctor or dermatologist before excluding any foods in your child's diet. Remember that milk in particular is an excellent source of calcium and protein for a growing child and it is therefore important to make sure that you child has enough of these nutrients from elsewhere if you give your child a milk free diet.

“You should also bear in mind that some children can also be allergic to soya milk, so it is important to discuss your child's diet with your doctor.”

About eczema:

Two main factors cause contact dermatitis: irritants and allergens. Irritants are substances like detergents and solvents that strip the skin of its natural oils, and cause eczema to develop if contacted frequently and without skin protection. Allergens are things to which your immune system can develop a specific reaction after you have come into contact with them. Examples include substances such as nickel, rubber, and perfumes or preservatives used in some creams and cosmetics.

Atopic eczema is a dry, itchy inflammation of the skin, often accompanied by asthma and/or hayfever. It is very common in children, affecting as many as one in five. It often clears up, but can carry on into adult life or come back in the teenage or early adult years. ‘Atopic’ people have an overactive immune system and their skin easily becomes inflamed (red and sore). Their skin ‘barrier’ does not work well, so that their skin may become dry and prone to infection.

-Ends-

Notes to editors:
1. If using this information, please ensure you mention that the study is being released in the British Journal of Dermatology, the official publication of the British Association of Dermatologists.
2. For more information please contact:  Nina Goad, British Association of Dermatologists, Communications Manager, Phone: 0207 391 6355, Email: nina@bad.org.uk, Website: www.bad.org.uk
3. Articles in the BJD can be viewed online: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/BJD
Study details:
‘The use of dietary manipulation in patients referred to a contact dermatitis clinic’, Due to be published in British Journal of Dermatology, (provisional date January 2008 t.b.c). Correspondence (DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2007.08380.x
R.F. Davis, N.J. Mortimer, M.J. Sladden, G.A. Johnston, Department of Dermatology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester, LE1 5WW, UK
N.B. Since completion of this study, Dr Sladden has moved to practise in Launceston, Tasmania and Dr Mortimer in Tauranga, New Zealand.
’The use of dietary manipulation by parents of children with atopic dermatitis’, British Journal of Dermatology 2004, DOI: 10:1111/j.1365-2133.2004.05888.x
G.A. Johnston, R.M. Bilbao, R.A.C. Graham-Brown, Department of Dermatology, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester, LE1 5WW, UK

The British Association of Dermatologists is the central association of practising UK dermatologists. Our aim is to continually improve the treatment and understanding of skin disease.

Blackwell Publishing is a leading society publisher, partnering with 665 medical, academic and professional societies. Blackwell publishes over 800 journals and has over 6,000 books in print. In February 2007, Blackwell Publishing officially merged with John Wiley & Sons, Inc's Scientific, Technical and Medical business. For more information on Blackwell Publishing, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com or www.blackwell-synergy.com.

For more information please contact:  Nina Goad, British Association of Dermatologists, Communications Manager, Phone: 0207 391 6355, Email: nina@bad.org.uk, Website: www.bad.org.uk

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Nina Goad of the British Association of Dermatologists: "While this idea is interesting, unfortunately I don't think buying satin pillow cases is the answer to youthful skin. In terms of lifestyle changes that we can make to prevent premature skin ageing, preotecting the skin from the sun and not smoking are known to help keep wrinkles at bay.
Some wrinkling of the skin is unavoidable as the body ages, but external factors also play a major role – especially UV exposure and smoking, which lead to wrinkles and a sallow, leathery texture. Sun exposure is one of the main causes of premature skin ageing, as well as skin cancer. There are different types of UV light from the sun, and it is UVA that predominantly causes skin ageing. This is because it breaks down collagen and elastin, which give the skin its structure and firmness. As they break down, the skin sags and wrinkles. You don’t have to get sunburned for this type of damage to occur. Sunlight also causes pigmentation changes known as ‘age spots’ that give the skin an older appearance.

"The skin gets its elasticity to a large extent from collagen. Smoking enhances an enzyme in the skin (matrix metalloproteinase-1) which degrades collagen, so the skin loses its elasticity and develops lines. In addition, smoking causes blood vessels to constrict, which limits the amount of oxygen that can reach the skin. This lack of oxygen reduces production of collagen and elastin (which also gives the skin its structure) and negatively affects the skin’s health and appearance generally. Smoking can also cause an unattractive yellowing of fingernails which makes the hands look older.      

Another main causes of wrinkles is the natural movement of the face – such as through smiling and frowning. Genetic factors also influence how our skin ages."

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A mysterious skin disorder affecting farmers at lambing time has been discovered by a Hampshire farmer and a team of doctors from Southampton, the British Journal of Dermatology will reveal.

Following several turbulent months for UK farmers, with outbreaks of foot and mouth and blue tongue, dermatologists have now discovered a disorder which affects the farmers themselves.

The strange disorder specifically targets the ears, which initially become hot, itchy and sore and soon suffer blistering and crusting which can be painful and unsightly. No other parts of the body are affected.

The symptoms are also confined to lambing season (which usually lasts from one to three months) and disappear promptly when lambing is over.

In some farmers, the blistering appears every year during lambing, in one case for the previous 30 years, and in all patients both ears are affected. It also occurs in farmers who are calving, but less frequently.

The condition was discovered by George Heathcote, a farmer from Hampshire and one of the study’s authors, who experienced blistering on his ears and consulted doctors in Southampton.

He said: “I was convinced that lambing was involved, so I decided to place a letter in Farmer’s Weekly magazine and equivalent overseas publications, asking other farmers with similar symptoms to contact me. I received responses from 69 affected UK farmers but, interestingly, none from abroad.”

The Southampton doctors reviewed his and four comparable cases seen over a four-year period, and discovered striking similarities that suggest a new skin disorder linked to the farming practice, which they named ‘lambing ears’.

The reasons for the phenomenon remain unclear, but the study’s authors suggest several possibilities.

Biopsies showed a similarity to ‘polymorphic light eruption’ (PLE), a rash that comes up after exposure to sunlight.

This led to the idea that sunlight or artificial light sources could be part of the problem. The absence of reported cases in Australia, a sunny climate where lambing tends to take place outdoors, suggests that indoor artificial lighting is a more likely culprit than sunlight. However, this could also be due to the minimal contact with the sheep involved in outdoors farming.
 
It is also thought that lighting alone is not responsible, as the disorder only occurs specifically during lambing, whereas lighting is used for other farming practices throughout the year.

Consultant Dermatologist at Southampton General Hospital and one of the study’s authors, Professor Peter Friedmann said: “During shearing, which takes place in May or June and may be indoors or outdoors, the same farmers who suffer lambing ears can shear the sheep with no symptoms at all.

“This suggests that bodily fluids from the sheep, such as amniotic fluid, sac and placenta, or chemicals used as part of the process, play a part, although intriguingly, the disorder does not affect the hands, which have maximum contact with fluids and products involved in lambing.

“The disorder is far more common in farmers who conduct lambing indoors. Bodily fluids are the only unique factor at lambing time, and give another reason aside from natural lighting why ‘lambing ears’ may not occur in farmers who conduct lambing outdoors, as these farmers have far less contact with the ewes during the birth.”

Nina Goad of the British Association of Dermatologists said: “This study is fascinating and illustrates how dermatologists are coming up against new diseases all the time.

“Following foot and mouth and blue tongue, the discovery of a disease affecting the farmers themselves may seem like an extra blow. However, it is actually positive that the disorder has been identified and can now be shared with dermatologists across the UK, as it will allow for more research and shared knowledge. The next step is to carry out an epidemiological study to clearly define the numbers of farmers affected.”

-Ends-
Notes to editors:

1. If using this information, please ensure you mention that the study is being released in the British Journal of Dermatology, the official publication of the British Association of Dermatologists.

2. Articles in the BJD can be viewed online: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/BJD

3. Study details: ‘Lambing ears’: a blistering disorder affecting farmers at lambing time;  to be published in British Journal of Dermatology (planned date Jan 2008), K. Heathcote, J.M. Theaker*, N. Gibbins, E. Healy², G.B. Heathcote³, P.S. Friedmann²

Departments of ENT Surgery, *Cellular Pathology and ²Dermatology, Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, Southampton S016 6YD, UK
³Warborne Farm, Hampshire, UK

4. The British Association of Dermatologists is the central association of practising UK dermatologists. Our aim is to continually improve the treatment and understanding of skin disease.

5. Blackwell Publishing is a leading society publisher, partnering with 665 medical, academic and professional societies. Blackwell publishes over 800 journals and has over 6,000 books in print.

For more information please contact:  Nina Goad, Communications Manager, British Association of Dermatologists, Phone: 0207 391 6355, Email: nina@bad.org.uk, Website: www.bad.org.uk

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70 percent of women with sensitive skin, a disorder long associated only with  the face, suffer symptoms on the body also, a study in the British Journal of Dermatology will reveal.

The surprising statistic was uncovered by dermatologists is France, who conducted a study of 400 women aged over 15.

Of the 70 percent of women who claimed to suffer sensitive skin on the body as well as the face, the most common sites were the hands (58 percent), scalp (36 percent), feet (34 percent), neck (27 percent), torso (23 percent) and back (21 percent).

The most common triggers included cold (66 percent), heat (28 percent), stress (61 percent), sun exposure (51 percent), wind (42 percent), water from a shower (29 percent) or swimming pool (40 percent), soaps (42 percent), cosmetics (28 percent) and pollution (18 percent).

In three quarters of cases, redness (erythema) was the main reported characteristic of sensitive skin. However, other symptoms included itch (61 percent), prickling (39 percent) and burning (31 percent). Dandruff was another common symptom associated with sensitivity.

Nina Goad of the British Association of Dermatologists said: “Sensitive skin can be hard to define as it means different things to different people, from mild redness to persistent stinging.

“However this study shows that many women are noticing symptoms that they associate with sensitivity on the body, which is interesting as the term ‘sensitive’ is generally only used for facial skin.

“Some of these symptoms might actually be disorders treatable by a dermatologist, such as eczema, rosacea or acne.
“The problem is that many people don’t know exactly what is wrong with their skin because it takes a diagnosis from an expert, such as a dermatologist, so they just assume their skin is ‘sensitive’. Sometimes it’s best to get it checked out, as it may be easy to remedy, given the correct treatment.”

Sensitive skin is generally defined as prickling, burning or stinging, usually due to environmental factors, such as temperature and UV, or chemicals including cosmetics and pollution, or occasionally stress or hormones.

The exact causes are not fully understood, but in most cases the skin’s barrier function is impaired, often making it dry and less tolerant of external irritants.

-Ends-
Notes to editors:

For more information please contact:  Nina Goad, Communications Manager, British Association of Dermatologists, Phone: 0207 391 6355, Email: nina@bad.org.uk, Website: www.bad.org.uk

1. If using this information, please ensure you mention that the study is being released in the British Journal of Dermatology, the official publication of the British Association of Dermatologists.

2. Articles in the BJD can be viewed online: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/BJD

3. Study details: ‘Sensitive skin is not limited to the face’, British Journal of Dermatology (planned date Jan 2008), C. Saint-Martory, A.M. Roguedas-Contios*, V.Sibaud², A. Degouy, A.M. Schmitt, L. Misery*
CERPER, Pierre Fabre Research Institute, Toulouse, France. *Department of Dermatology, University Hospital, 29609 Brest cedex, France. ²Ducray Laboratories, Lavaur, France

4. The British Association of Dermatologists is the central association of practising UK dermatologists. Our aim is to continually improve the treatment and understanding of skin disease.

5. The British Skin Foundation charity’s year-long ‘Respect Your Skin’ campaign in 2008 aims to educate people on 12 aspects of skin health, which will include sensitive skin.  Contact Indy Rihal at the BSF for more information, 0207 391 6341, indy@bad.org.uk

6. Blackwell Publishing was acquired by John Wiley & Sons in February 2007. Together, these two companies publish more than 1,400 scholarly peer-reviewed journals and an extensive collection of books with global appeal. Blackwell's publishing programme is being merged with Wiley's global Scientific, Technical and Medical business to form Wiley-Blackwell.

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